International Tax Challenges for CFOs: Key Takeaways from the IAFEI GLOBAL CFO Round e-Table
On Friday, July 11, 2025, Prof. Piergiorgio Valente, Founding Partner of Valente Associati GEB Partners / Crowe Valente, joined a panel of leading international tax experts at the IAFEI GLOBAL CFO Round e-Table, titled “International Tax – Critical Issues for CFOs.”
The event brought together finance and tax leaders from Asia and EMEA to discuss some of the most pressing tax challenges impacting CFOs today. Distinguished speakers included Filipa Correia and Huong Vu, with an introductory address by Tsutomu Mannari.
Strategic Tax in a Complex Global Environment
As global markets shift away from unified globalization toward fragmented regional clusters, tax has evolved from a back-office compliance function to a strategic pillar of corporate leadership. The webinar provided a high-level exploration of the evolving role of tax in the boardroom and how CFOs must now anticipate and manage tax implications amid growing uncertainty.
Key themes explored included:
- Geopolitical Fragmentation and its influence on international tax planning
- Resilient Supply Chains, especially in response to trade tensions and policy shifts
- Cross-Border Compliance under increasingly complex regulatory regimes
- Strategic Tax Planning as a key enabler of business resilience and agility
The New Role of the CFO: From Compliance to Strategy
One of the central messages was clear: today’s CFO must act not only as a financial steward but as a proactive architect of strategy. To do so, financial leaders must integrate a wide range of competencies, including:
- Monitoring geopolitical and regulatory risks
- Engaging in scenario planning and predictive modeling
- Leveraging advanced data and analytics for informed decision-making
- Implementing technology-driven processes across the tax function
A Forward-Looking Perspective
Prof. Valente’s contribution emphasized the growing need for adaptability and foresight as organizations operate in an increasingly volatile and fragmented global environment. As tax policy, technology, and geopolitics converge, the ability to make strategic tax decisions is not just a regulatory obligation—but a competitive advantage.
The roundtable reaffirmed the importance of collaborative dialogue and thought leadership to navigate today’s global tax landscape, helping CFOs steer their organizations with clarity, compliance, and confidence.
